26

Evan headed outside and took the lift down to the concrete service tunnel which ran the length of the dam. His footsteps echoed as he exited the lift. He studied the chart in his hand and checked the places Jasper had marked. The walls were damper than he’d have expected, but nothing unusual.

The pressure gauges, on the other hand, set alarm bells ringing in his mind. He spun to leave the control room, his trained eye catching a glimpse of something in the far corner. He crossed to check. A tiny hairline crack snaked down the wall from ceiling almost to the floor.

He trotted back to the lift, punching the call button. Once on the surface, he ran to the office. “Jasper, I don’t want anyone going down there until I’m back.”

Jasper raised an eyebrow. “Not even the panel inspectors?”

“No. I don’t trust Varian not to send his own men in their stead. I have a contact over at the Environment Agency, and I’ll call them myself. Pull strings if need be.”

“You’re the boss.” Jasper turned back to the dials. “I’ll give you a shout if anything changes up here.”

“Thanks.” Evan headed outside into the chill morning.

Fog drifted down off the mountains as he crossed over to where Lou hefted several tanks of air into the boat.

“Lovely weather for ducks,” Lou said, barely glancing up as he approached.

Evan grimaced. “Oh, yeah.” He drew his phone from the glove box. “I need to make a couple of quick calls before we go.” He dialled quickly. “Yes, this is Evan Close from Xenon. I need to speak to Wallace Teague.”

He leaned against the car and filled his friend in quickly. “So what I need to know is who’s coming out and what time.”

Typing came over the phone. “No one is coming.”

Evan closed his eyes in dismay. “Figured as much. Someone is sabotaging things up here. I need panel inspectors here today. We have a situation at the Aberfinay Dam—right now it’s a yellow. There is a strong possibility it’ll become a red. I’ve checked the service tunnel, and I’m now about to dive and check the outer wall. The run off isn’t enough to reduce the pressure.”

“I’ll send a team out now. As a courtesy to you, I’ll tell you who. Even though it’s not normal procedure.” More typing clicked. “OK, Cliff Barnes and Pat Stewart will be with you by three at the latest.”

“Thank you. I’ll speak to you later.” He hung up and gave Lou a thumbs-up. “Let’s go.”

“Do we have a problem?”

He locked the car, tossing his keys and phone into the boat. “Quite possibly. There’s a crack in the internal service tunnel. I need to check the outer walls and see if there are any corresponding marks. So, get in the boat and let’s go.” He helped her in. “You got everything?” As she nodded, he cast off and headed across to the dam. “And, for the record, I’m not jealous. Well, maybe a little.”

She frowned. “Huh? Jealous of who? Varian or the Environment Agency?”

“Neither. Of Professor Cunningham. I’ve gone back to that train of thought I told you to hold in the car on the way here.” He glanced at her. Oh, she was beautiful when she was confused or angry or passionate about something. In truth, she was beautiful all the time.

He grinned. “I like being with you. I shouldn’t. I admit I came to this point from being ready to hate you, or at least distrust you. I was afraid you’d unearth my deepest, darkest secrets and tell the world.”

She tucked her hair behind her ears. “You’re really that bothered by your great grandfather’s involvement in all this?”

“Yeah, I am. I was afraid I’d lose everything because of this.”

“Like what? I don’t understand how, because you weren’t even born when all of this happened. So you can’t be held responsible for his actions.”

“He may have murdered or had a hand in the murder of half the village. If he profited from any of those deaths, then my company, this land, everything I own is built with blood money. The manor was renovated with that money. I know that, and I still live there, own the land, the dam…” He broke off, staring out over the water, trying to rein in his emotions and control the embarrassing wobble in his voice.

Her hand touched his cheek. “Evan, look at me.”

He blinked hard, before doing as she asked.

“He didn’t kill them. Not unless he unleashed a plague virus. And if all this ‘blood money’ as you called it bothers you that much, then sell it. Give the money to the church or a charity. If you work in London, you must have a flat or something there.”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“There you go then.”

He sighed. Maybe he should. “I guess it depends on what’s in that box you found, if we ever get it open.”

The boat stopped by the dam and Lou tied the rope to a ring on the side of the concrete structure. “First, let’s see how much of a problem we have here.”

Shouts came from above them. Lou shifted on the seat. “Great, we got trouble.”

Evan winked at her. “I reckon that’s trouble with a capital V.”

Lou giggled.

Evan glanced upwards. “Morning,” he yelled, waving at the figure glowering over the edge of the dam.

Something rectangular and black fell from the top of the dam. Evan caught it and rolled his eyes at Lou. “Radio.” He turned it on. “Morning, Varian. Can we help you?”

“What are you doing?”

“Checking the dam. Care to join me?”

“The explosives are set to go. It’s not safe.”

“I’ve notified the environment agency about the potential threat to life this dam currently holds. I’m diving the dam in an official capacity as head of Xenon. There will be no more blasting until they, or I, deem it safe to do so. In any event, the police will not give you permission to destroy any more of this crime scene.”

Varian’s scowl was evident from here. “Lou, I told you the dig was off. There’s no reason for you to be diving again.”

She snatched the radio from Evan and hit the button. “That’s why you’re sending Monty up here, right? To take over, hide things. The way you’re so good at doing. And you need to check your e-mail once in a while.”

“You dive off that boat, and you’re fired.”

Lou tugged up the hood of her wetsuit. “Sorry, I can’t hear you.” She seized her helmet and fitted it securely. Then she unstrapped her leg and rolled backwards off the side of the boat.

Evan laughed.

“Tell her she’s fired,” Varian yelled.

“Actually, she’s on Xenon’s time this morning, not yours. You need to check your e-mail from last night. You can’t fire someone who’s already resigned. Don’t wait up. We may be some time.” He dropped the radio into the bottom of the boat and waved at the figure leaning over the dam. He fitted his helmet and eased back over the side of the boat. He turned on his helmet light and hit the mic. “Radio check.”

“Right behind you.” Lou swam over to him, the concrete wall of the dam looming through the dark water behind her. “I like being able to talk to the person I’m diving with. Varian would never buy these.”

He grinned. “Perks of being the boss. I choose the equipment. By the way, Varian says you’re fired. And please don’t make any dam jokes.”

“Really? Because I’ve got several I could come up with.”

Evan shook his head. “Anyway, I told him you’re working for me this morning. We’re diving the dam in an official capacity as part of the Xenon contract.” He began to swim downwards.

Lou followed him. “I am, am I?”

“Will that be a problem?”

“So long as your orders are sensible ones, nope.” She tapped him on the shoulder. “That crack isn’t good, is it?”

Evan grimaced, his fears confirmed. His headlight illuminated the walls of the dam. Even given the lower lake level, he still wasn’t happy. The slight hairline fracture on the outside walls, combined with the pressure, could escalate quickly into a full scale collapse. He was ready to recommend draining the lake completely, but a controlled release of that much water would take weeks. They didn’t have weeks.

Lou swam back and forth, taking photographs every foot or so, while Evan carried out a detailed check of the walls. She made her way over to him. Even with the mask on, concern etched his handsome face and chiselled jaw.

“What do you think, Evan?”

“I don’t like it. We can’t swim the rest of the village yet. I need to get this information top side, and call my team in.” He headed upwards, breaking the water. He glanced around, treading water. Lou was nowhere to be seen. “OK, where are you?” he asked.

Her voice came over the comm. “Evan, get down here. You need to see this.”

He headed back down, following her light to find her. “What—?” The word died in his throat as horror struck him with the force of a mallet.

The light illuminated a decided crack on the dam wall.